Daily Reading – May 18, 2020

Jer. 1

1:1 The following is a record of what Jeremiah son of Hilkiah prophesied. He was one of the priests who lived at Anathoth in the territory of the tribe of Benjamin. 2The Lord’s message came to him in the thirteenth year that Josiah son of Amon ruled over Judah. 3It also came in the days of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah, and continued until the eleventh year of Zedekiah, son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the people of Jerusalem were taken into exile in the fifth month of that year.

4The Lord’s message came to me,

5 “Before I formed you in your mother’s womb I chose you.

Before you were born I set you apart.

I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.”

6I answered, “Oh, Sovereign Lord, Really I do not know how to speak well enough for that, for I am too young.” 7The Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ But go to whomever I send you and say whatever I tell you. 8Do not be afraid of those to whom I send you, for I will be with you to protect you,” says the Lord. 9Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I will most assuredly give you the words you are to speak for me. 10Know for certain that I hereby give you the authority to announce to nations and kingdoms that they will be uprooted and torn down, destroyed and demolished, rebuilt and firmly planted.”

11Later the Lord’s message came to me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” I answered, “I see a branch of an almond tree.” 12Then the Lord said, “You have observed correctly. This means I am watching to make sure my threats are carried out.”

13The Lord’s message came to me a second time, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a pot of boiling water; it is tipped away from the north.” 14Then the Lord said, “From the north destruction will break out on all who live in the land. 15For I will soon summon all the peoples of the kingdoms of the north,” says the Lord. “They will come and their kings will set up their thrones near the entrances of the gates of Jerusalem. They will attack all the walls surrounding it, and all the towns in Judah. 16In this way I will pass sentence on the people of Jerusalem and Judah because of all their wickedness. For they rejected me and offered sacrifices to other gods, worshiping what they made with their own hands.”

17 “But you, Jeremiah, get yourself ready! Go and tell these people everything I instruct you to say. Do not be terrified of them, or I will give you good reason to be terrified of them. 18I, the Lord, hereby promise to make you as strong as a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall. You will be able to stand up against all who live in the land, including the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and all the people of the land. 19They will attack you but they will not be able to overcome you, for I will be with you to rescue you,” says the Lord.

Luke 23:32–43

23:32 Two other criminals were also led away to be executed with him. 33So when they came to the place that is called “The Skull,” they crucified him there, along with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34[But Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”] Then they threw dice to divide his clothes. 35The people also stood there watching, but the leaders ridiculed him, saying, “He saved others. Let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, his chosen one!” 36The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, 37and saying, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!” 38There was also an inscription over him, “This is the king of the Jews.”

39One of the criminals who was hanging there railed at him, saying, “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40But the other rebuked him, saying, “Don’t you fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41And we rightly so, for we are getting what we deserve for what we did, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingdom.” 43And Jesus said to him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

[Luther writes,] “What else can Solomon intend with so many words (Prov. 4:24-27), do you think, than to keep us on the straight (schnurgleichen) path, that only God’s Word and way may stand out before our eyes, and no bypath, be it to the right or to the left, good or bad. But now man’s teachings are but mere bypaths and not the divine way (Richtstrasse).” (21)

This daily Bible reading guide, Reading the Word of God, was conceived and prepared as a result of the ongoing discussions between representatives of three church bodies: Lutheran Church—Canada (LCC), The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) and the North American Lutheran Church (NALC). The following individuals have represented their church bodies and approved this introduction and the reading guide: LCC: President Robert Bugbee; NALC: Bishop John Bradosky, Revs. Mark Chavez, James Nestingen, and David Wendel; LCMS: Revs. Albert Collver, Joel Lehenbauer, John Pless, and Larry Vogel.

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